Whiffletree-iron



(No Model.)

H. K. PORTER.

WHIFFLETREE IRON. v N0. 336,'016. Patented Feb. 9, 1886.

W 4' ifnesses m .76, 0 m 5; m W 9211; 9

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY K. PORTER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

WHIFFLETREE-IRON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,016, dated February9, 1886.

Application filed February 16, 1884. Serial No. 120,912. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY K. PORTER, of Boston, in the county ofSufl'olk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and use fulImprovement in Whiffletree-Irons, which will, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, be hereinafter fully described, and specificallydefined in the appended claims.

This invention relates to the irons which are secured to the respectiveends of whiffletrees for the attaching of the harness-trace thereto; andthe invention will, in connection with the accompanying drawings, behereinafter fully described, and specifically defined in the appendedclaims.

In said drawings, Figure 1 shows in longitudinal section a whiffletreeend provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 shows the same in plan.

In said views, (t represents the whiflletree. b is the end ring, and cis the start, to which the trace is attached. Said start has heretoforebeen formed with a flattened head, (I, a neck, 6, a shoulder, f, and ashank, 9, all as an entirety, and usually of malleable iron, the shank gbeing screw-threaded to facilitate its insertion in the whiflietree andto secure it therein.

My improvement in this behalf consists in forming said head (I with theneck e and collar f as a casting ofsuitable metal, and securing theshank g, of wrought-iron or steel, therein in some suitable manner; andas an efficient method of accomplishing such union that herein shown,where the parts are male and female screw-threaded, is deemedpreferable. This construction of the start enables me to preserve thegraceful form of the head, which is only feasible in cast metal, and Iavoid the weakness caused by shrinks in the shank when formed entirelyof cast metal, While I am able to employ for that part metal of veryhigh strength and tenacity.

As heretofore constructed, the rings b have been either of the openpatternthat is, without an inclosing end-or else have been of the closepattern, having an end that was a simple plane, with an opening for thereception of shank g of the start. My improvement in the ring consistsin forming it with v an end, h, having a recessed central portion, *5,so as to form a seat for the collar f of the start, as shown. Thismethod of seating the collar of the start in a recess in the ring servestogive a finished appearance, as only the outer curve of the collar isvisible when the parts are in place upon the whifiletree, as shown inFig. 2. The collar of the start being seated in such recess in the endof the ring, there is no need of the shank g fitting closely or at allin the central opening in the ring, which latter is in such case muchlarger than the shank. Such seating of collar f in a recess in the ringtends largely to relieve the shank from the strain which results fromthe force exerted upon neck 6 by the harness-tug.

I claim as my invention- 1. Awhiffletree-start formed with awroughtmetal shank, g, and a cast-metal head, (I, rigidly seeuredtogether, said head having a neck, 0, to receive and support the trace,a shoulder, f, and a socket in said shoulder and neck to receive the endof the shank, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with a whiflletreestart formed with a head, (I, neck6, shoulder f, and shank g, of a ring, b, having an end, h, with anopening to freely admit shank g, and an annular recess surrounding saidpassage to receive flush with the end of the ring the said shoulder f,substantially as specified.

HENRY K. PORTER.

